Running from the west to the east on India's northern borderlands for 2,500 kms, the Himalayas are the world's youngest and highest mountain range. They act as a natural barrier separating India from the vast expanses of Central Asia and the Tibetan Plateau. At least 30 of the world's highest peaks, amongst them Mt Everest, are located in this stunning mountain range. The Himalayas continue to seduce visitors with a veritable treasure trove of holiday experiences with their high altitude deserts, glaciers, gushing rivers and waterfalls, orchid-filled forests, ancient mountain dwellings, remote shrines and monasteries and wildlife parks rich in flora and fauna. The diversity of its landscapes and its culture are an inspiration for mountaineers and trekkers, monks and pilgrims, artists and men of scientific leanings.